the russell 2000 is up 8.5% since mid-november. i think they've just grown accustomed to some incompetence. and that juxtaposed against things going well, which we just saw numbers reminding us that things aren't too bad in the economy. >> jim, stock markets go down if there's a recession. do we now have to -- do we have to decide maybe if we did fully go over, and stay over, is it absolutely shave two points off of our gdp? >> there's no doubt. >> it does then -- >> then the market -- >> no. >> what do you mean no doubt? >> believe what you read in the papers, jim. there is doubt. there most certainly is doubt. >> what i believe, just of course what i believe is i think the markets think we're going over the fiscal cliff and quickly have a resolution. >> why do we look at the dow jones industrial average to handicap if this country's going to go down the sewer in a couple of days? >> that's the best collection of news. >> that's where i always look for the news. >> we can't afford our bills anymore. the stock market is an immediat